The first settlers of Island Park were various tribes of the North American Indians. Different Indian tribes hunted, fished and traveled through the natural splendor of Island Park. You can find Indian artifacts such as spearheads, arrowheads and broken utensils along the banks of the Snake River and around the shores of Henry’s Lake.
The first known white man to visit Island Park was Andrew Henry. In the summer of 1810 an expedition of trappers under the leadership of Andrew Henry was the first recorded white men to set foot on Island Park soil. But as the fur bearing animals disappeared the trappers turned their attention to hunting elk, deer and antelope for the meat markets in Montana. The westward expansion during the 30 year period of 1840 to 1870 and the gold strikes in Montana were attracting people to all of the intermountain region, including Island Park – Yellowstone Park areas. Island Park was then becoming famous as a hunters paradise and Yellowstone as a wonderland of natural phenomena. Trappers and other early timers from both Montana and Idaho, who know the Yellowstone and Island Park regions, were being engaged as guides.
The first settlers to the Island Park area in the 1870’s were Gilman Sawtell, Richard “Dick” Rock and George Rea. They all experienced the hardships of living, trapping and farming in the harsh Island Park winters. In 1895 George Rea started the first known private fish farm. From his very first introduction to Island Park he was aware of the lucrative fish markets in Utah and Montana.
Also in the 1890’s A.S. Trude a famous Chicago lawyer, purchased land to create Trudes Ranch on the banks of the snake river now known as Island Park Reservoir. Before the reservoir was completed in 1935 there were guest ranches and hotels skirting the banks of the river and host to many famous people such as President H. Hoover. There were several ranches that were in operation during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s such as Bishop Ranch, Elk Creek Ranch, 7-Ranch, Wild Rose Ranch and Sheridan Ranch to name a few.
By the early 1900’s Island Park was getting a reputation as being the outdoorsman’s dream! With the abundance of visitors, there were several inn’s and lodges that were being built. Mack’s Inn (which later burned down in 1989), Ponds Lodge, Island Park Lodge, Phillips Lodge, Big Springs Inn, and Sunset Lodge.
Today Island Park is well known for its fishing, hunting, water sports and snowmobiling. The average snowfall is about 9 feet per year, which makes Island Park a winter wonderland. The current residents of Island Park consider themselves lucky to be a part of an area that is God’s country.